03 Jul Gray & Adams quality brings longevity to Tesco fleet
Gray & Adams is industry renowned for the superior quality of products that ensure longevity and a lifetime of value from investment. Whilst the majority of our customers have a regular repurchase cycle to keep their fleet fresh, our trailers are built to last, and with proper care and maintenance provided by our aftercare team, we can claim that the durability of our product allows the trailers to run like new for up to 12-15 years.
With this in mind, we regularly report when a customer has ordered a new trailer or rigid body from us, but we have taken this opportunity to visit valued customer and household name, Tesco, to find out how a 12-year-old ferry specification double deck has served their business before the asset heads into a well-earned retirement.
A lifetime of Value
The ferry spec double deck trailer was purchased by Tesco for their Livingston depot from Gray & Adams and delivered on 8th March 2011. It was purchased to serve the route from Livingston up to the Shetland and surrounding islands which is an 8-hour journey on choppy waters and strong winds. Tesco looked to Gray & Adams to deliver a durable and robust double deck that could handle this journey with additional specifications that ensured that limited damage would be endured during the crossing.
Bespoke Design
As well as the trailer being built to the double deck height specifications, the trailer also included a galvanised chassis to ensure extra durability for the tough journey as well as additional lashing rings for enhanced security during the crossing. With driver safety and comfort always being a consideration for Tesco, Gray & Adams included ground access rails for easier access whilst managing the electrical and air connections. As well as this, we also included an automatic park brake which activates whilst the air connection is removed.
Customer Impact
Whilst sustainable technology has moved on in the last twelve years, the trailer is diesel operated but still had electric capabilities. Sustainable and environmental options are something that Tesco is passionate about including in its newer fleet due to the business’s commitment to zero emissions by 2035.
Fleet Engineering Manager at Tesco, Cliff Smith told us,
“Tesco own all our fleet, so it is important that each purchase is a quality investment, and we don’t have to prematurely replace. Gray & Adams offer a quality product which could withstand the challenging journey we needed the trailer for. This has allowed us to free up capital to invest in other areas of the fleet as we knew the trailer would be built to last. As well as the quality, we enjoy working with Gray & Adams as they provide solutions to challenges and work collaboratively with our team to overcome any blockers.”